Vacuum feeder for heavy sheet material



Jan. 21, 1969 c. R. KONAZEWSKI 84 VACUUM FEEDER FOR HEAVY SHEET MATERIAL of 5 I Sheet Filed April 10, 1.967

FIG IB FIG IC FIG IA FIG IE.

FIG ID an m 5 N mu 0 K R T N E M E L C gm? 6,7 W/M Jan. 21, 1969 c. R. KONAZEWSKI VACUUM FEEDER FOR HEAVY SHEET MATERIAL 2 ors Sheet Filed April 10, 1967 ll llHHll INVENTOR. CLEMENT R. KONAZEWSKI UUKDOm zDDU J n-.21, 1969 c. R. KONAZEWSKI 3,423,084

VACUUM FEEDER FOR HEAVY SHEET MATERIAL Filed April 10, .1967 Sheet 3 of 5 INVENTOR CLEMENT R. KONAZEWSKI ATTORNEY @WM M/ ML.

United States Patent 3,423,084 VACUUM FEEDER FOR HEAVY SHEET MATERIAL Clement R. Konazewski, Glen Cove, N.Y., assiguor to Halm Instrument Co. Inc., Glen Head, N.Y. Filed Apr. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 629,735 U.S. Cl. 27129 2 Claims Int. Cl. B65h 3/08 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention comprises an oscillating vacuum sucker cylinder for feeding heavy sheets from a stack. The surface of the cylinder has a flat surface with a vacuum aperture. This 'aperture is rotated to parallel position to the material being fed. The vacuum draws the bottom sheet to the flattened vacuum aperture. The sucker is then rotated into contact with takeaway rollers. As a first sheet is taken away the vacuum cylinder returns to its first position and the trailing edge of the first sheet exposes the vacuum aperture which then attracts the next sheet in continuously progressive overlapping sucking relation which preserves the vacuum seal. The vacuum cylinder is not otherwise valved.

The invention relates to means for feeding heavy sheet material from a stack.

In manufacturing vacuum feeders for feeding sheets from a stack, it has been found that there is difficulty in feeding heavy sheet material, booklets, or pamphlets, since the stiffness of the material does not permit the vacuum cylinder to obtain a good sucking grip.

In order to enhance the vacuum grip for heavy sheets the applicant has found the solution by making a flat surface about the aperture area.

This application is an improvement over vacuum feeders such as shown in prior Patents Nos. 2,704,209, 2,834,596, 2,861,803, and 2,770,458. In operation, the vacuum cylinder is connected to oscillate and pull the closest sheet into contact with the bite of conventional takeaway rollers or belts. As the takeaway roller or belts pull a first sheet, the vacuum cylinder turns back to its initial position and as the trailing edge of the first sheet is pulled past the aperture, the vacuum then attracts the next sheet in a continuous progressive overlapping relation. In other words the vacuum cylinder is not valved and the vacuum seal is preserved by the overlapping progressive action of the sheets over the vac-uum feeder.

This continuous overlapping progressive sucking relation of the vacuum provides very high speed of the operation. Since there is no valving, the vacuum is operating continuously at its full efficiency and its maximum pressure and there is no variation in the vacuum pressure.

Accordingly a principal object of the invention is to provide new and improved vacuum means for separating and feeding heavy sheet material such as booklets from a stack.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved vacuum feeding means for feeding heavy sheets from a stack in progressive overlapping relation so that the overlapping relation of the overlapping sheets preserves the vacuum seal and wherein the vacuum is applied continuously without any valving.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improved oscillating vacuum sucker for separating and feeding heavy sheet material from a stack comprising; a hollow vacuum member having an aperture therein, means to oscillatably mount said member, means for supporting a stack of sheets of said material in operative contact with said member with the leading edge of the closest 3,423,084 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 sheet parallel to the flat surface of said member across the aperture area.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent in the following specifications and drawings of which:

FIGURES 1, and 1A-lE are diagrams illustrating the operation of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front view partly in section of the embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a detail cross sectional view taken of the vacuum cylinder showing the flat portion.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

The apparatus and operation is similar to that shown in Patent No. 2,770,458 except for the flat surfaces of the vacuum cylinder which permit feeding of heavy sheets or booklets.

FIGURE 1 is a diagram illustrative of the operation of the invention and FIGURES 1A through 1E showing the sequence of operation.

Referring to FIGURE 1 the cards, or sheets, to be fed are stacked as shown in the area X. Underneath the stack of cards is a cylinder Y, with a flat surface F, shown in a cross-section having a slot S cut therein. The cylinder Y is placed under vacuum and is driven in an oscillatory manner as shown by the arrow. The bottom paper or sheet X will be attracted to the flat cylinder Y as shown. The cylinder is then rocked counterclockwise inserting the front edge of the paper Z between the drive roller A and driven belt or roller 31 FIGURE 2 whereupon the paper is ejected.

In FIGURE 1A, a first paper a is about to be ejected.

In FIGURE 1B, a second sheet 12 is peeled off the bottom as the rear edge of paper a uncovers the suction slot.

FIGURE 1C shows the sheet b gripped by the cylinder Y, which is starting to rock counterclockwise.

FIGURE 1D shows the cylinder rocking counterclockwise and inserting the sheet 12 between the driven roller A and the cylinder Y.

FIGURE 1E shows the sheet b being ejected.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, the driven roller 31 is mounted on needle bearings beside cylinder Y, as will be described and preferably eccentric to the sucker cylinder Y so that the bottom card or sheet does not touch the roller B until it is rocked between the roller A and belt B. The roller A and roller B are preferably driven at the same surface speed as the paper being inserted so that there will be no grabbing of the paper. The roller A may be spring loaded against the roller 31 and it may be cam lifted so that the front edge of the paper may be inserted freely and the roller A then dropped back against the roller B. This last modification is preferable where very good registration of the blanks is required.

The operation is a continuous sucking process with no time lost as in the case of the devices use suction arms which have a return stroke during which the suction arm is not covered by any paper. The motion of these sucker arms of the prior art is necessarily intermittent since the oscilating sucker arm only works in one direction and then must wait for the paper to clear before it returns to pick up the next paper.

In the present application, one paper continually follows the next so that the operation is continuous and not intermittent. This permits tremendous speed of operation.

The operation may briefly be summed up as follows:

As the tail end of bottom sheet exposes the suction slots, the next sheet follows the contour of sucker slots simultaneously with exit of bOttOm sheet, as shown in FIGS. 1A through 1E. Separation is thereby gained without loss of time or moving parts. The sucker is camrocked to deposit the leading edge of the sheet between driven roller A and B belt. The cam is timed to have the sheet traveling at same "speed as the take-a-way roller so that there is no snatch on the sheet. Now sucker Y rocks back before the exiting sheet exposes slots to the next sheet.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, one embodiment of the invention generally comprises a hollow cylinder Y which has a flat surface F as shown in FIG. 3 and which is adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis by means of cam 2, cam follower 3 and the arm or crank member 4, which in turn is connected to the hollow cylinder. The sheets 5 to be handled are arranged in a stack above the hollow cylinder Y so that the bottom thereof rests operatively upon the top periphery thereof. The hollow cylinder Y is provided with a plurality of axially spaced slots or apertures 7 which extend part way around the cylinder Y and which may be adjustable in effective length. The hollow cylinder Y is connected through a suit able pipe or hose 10 to a source of vacuum pressure so the interior of the hollow cylinder is under vacuum at all times.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the surface of the hollow member is generally curved but has a fiat area 8 which includes the slot 7. This flat portion permits the vacuum to hold much heavier sheets than a continuously curved surface could grip.

In the cylinder of FIGURE 3 note that the outside radius R is offset from the inside radius R to facilitate forming the flat area 8.

Considering FIGURE 2 in more detail, the apparatus is mounted on a main bracket or base plate 12, having suitable side member or end plates 13 and 14 for supporting the various mechanisms therebetween. The hollow cylinder 1 is mounted for rotation by the bearings 15 and 18 which are suitably connected to the side member 14. The power for rotating the hollow cylinder is applied through the belt 20 from a suitable motor (not shown) to pulley 21, the shaft 22 of which is connected by means of the gears 23 and 24, and connecting shaft member 25 to the cam 2. The cam 2 has a symmetrical shape having a projecting portion, and the cam 2 is cut so as to provide the proper oscillatory rotation of the hollow cylinder 1. This oscillation is transmitted to the cylinder 1 by means of the cam follower 3, which rides on the cam and rotates the crank member 4. The follower 3 is spring loaded against the cam surface by means of a tension spring having its fixed end suitably secured to the side plate 14. The connecting crank member 4 is connected to the shaft 9, which is fixedly connected to the hollow cylinder 1.

The operation of the cam driving mechanisms is such that as the cam 2 is rotated continuously, the member 4, shaft 9 and hollow cylinder 1, all oscillate about the axis of cylinder 1. The amount of oscillation in a particular embodiment was approximately 60, although it is not, of course, so limited. The amount of oscillation in a particular case is determined by design factors, such as the type of material being fed, its ttlexibility and weight, and the speed of operation desired. Oscillations of 4090 have been found satisfactory for particular applications.

The take-away rollers 31 and 31 are mounted on needle bearings recessed into slots beside the cylinder 1. These rollers come in contact with the take-away belts 33, 33 which are mounted on driven roller 30, on the shaft 19. The shaft 19 is driven by means of the gear 24 which is connected to the gear 23 on the :driven shaft 22.

Referring also to FIGURE 4 it shows the general operation of the take-off belts and rollers. The general operation is that the vacuum wraps a paper around the cylinder and the vacuum cylinder rotates to insent the paper between the take-off belts and roller. As the take-off belts remove one paper, the vacuum cylinder returns to its initial position. The belts are operated continuously, not intermittently. There is no intermittent operation in the system. The smooth oscillating of the vacuum cylinder is not intermittent nor is there any valving of the vacuum except by the overlapping papers, as will be more fully described.

Specifically, FIGURE 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the apparatus taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2. At the top of FIGURE 4 is shown the stack of papers 5 which is supported at its forward end by the evacuated cylinder 1 and at its other end by the rack 5'.

Referring to the belt mechanism, its general function is as follows. The roller 31 rides around cylinder 1 on needle bearing located beside cylinder 1 and is driven by the belt 33. The bracket 36, which is connected to the main frame and has rollers 35, 37, and 38 mounted thereon.

The discharge belt 33' is driven by the roller 30 keyed to driven shaft 19, and has suitable tension adjusting means comprising the bracket 49, adjustable slide and roller 41 and 44, and the idler rollers 42 and 43. A "second roller and belt assembly 30, 31 and 3-3' is also provided, see FIGURE 2.

The guides 40 are provided to guide the front end of the paper between the belts 31 and 33. The spring 34 is chosen to provide suitable tension on the guide 40. The guide 40 also contains an auxiliary roller 45 which serves as a pressure roller for forcing the peeled sheet against the traveling discharge belt 31.

The roller 45 may be driven if desired, by belt 45 thus giving more positive operation. Also the roller 45' may be retracted once each cycle when the front of the paper passes it by means of the cam 33' and roller 34'. This insures registration of the blanks if that is necessary. The cam 33 is driven in synchronisms with cylinder 1 by suitable means (not shown).

The rollers 30 and 30 (see FIGURE 2) are fixed to shaft 19 which is mounted inside frame members 13 and 14 by bearings 13 and 14'. The shaft 19 is rotated through gear train 23 and 24 by the main driving pulley 21.

Many modifications may be made by those who desire to practice the invention without departing from the scope thereof which is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. An oscillating vacuum sucker for separating and feeding heavy sheet material from a stack comprising,

a hollow vacuum member having an aperture therein,

means to oscillatably mount said member,

means for supporting a stack of sheets of said material in operative contact with said member with the leading edge of the closest sheet adjacent to said aperture,

the surface of said member being. flat adjacent said aperture whereby the leading edge of the closest sheet is sucked down by the vacuum into contact with said flat surface, said vacuum member being unvalved,

and means to maintain continuous vacuum in said member comprising means to oscillate said member so that the sheets are fed by said vacuum member in continuous overlapping relation.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said hollow member is generally cylindrical and has its outer radius offset from its inner radius to provide minimum and maximum thickness, said aperture and flat area being located at an area of average thickness.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,770,458 11/1956 Halahan 27129 FOREIGN PATENTS 595,033 4/1955 Canada.

RICHARD E. AEGER'DER, Primary Examiner. 

